the fellowship of the ring-第17部分

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e。'　He　pickedup　his　shears　and　exhibited　them　as　evidence。　
'I　don't；'　said　Gandalf　grimly。　It　is　some　time　since　I　last　heard　thesound　of　your　shears。　How　long　have　you　been　eavesdropping？'　
'Eavesdropping；　sir？　I　don't　follow　you；　begging　your　pardon。　There　ain't　　
　
no　eaves　at　Bag　End；　and　that's　a　fact。'　
'Don't　be　a　fool！　What　have　you　heard；　and　why　did　you　listen？'　Gandalf'seyes　flashed　and　his　brows　stuck　out　like　bristles。　
'Mr。　Frodo；　sir！'　cried　Sam　quaking。　'Don't　let　him　hurt　me；　sir！　Don'tlet　him　turn　me　into　anything　unnatural！　My　old　dad　would　take　on　so。　I　meantno　harm；　on　my　honour；　sir！'　
'He　won't　hurt　you；'　said　Frodo；　hardly　able　to　keep　from　laughing；　
although　he　was　himself　startled　and　rather　puzzled。　'He　knows；　as　well　as　Ido；　that　you　mean　no　harm。　But　just　you　up　and　answer　his　questions　straightaway！'　
'Well；　sir；'　said　Sam　dithering　a　little。　'I　heard　a　deal　that　I　didn'trightly　understand；　about　an　enemy；　and　rings；　and　Mr。　Bilbo；　sir；　anddragons；　and　a　fiery　mountain；　and　–　and　Elves；　sir。　I　listened　because　Icouldn't　help　myself；　if　you　know　what　I　mean。　Lor　bless　me；　sir；　but　I　dolove　tales　of　that　sort。　And　I　believe　them　too；　whatever　Ted　may　say。　Elves；　
sir！　I　would　dearly　love　to　see　_them。_　Couldn't　you　take　me　to　see　Elves；　
sir；　when　you　go？'　
Suddenly　Gandalf　laughed。　'e　inside！'　he　shouted；　and　putting　out　bothhis　arms　he　lifted　the　astonished　Sam；　shears；　grass…clippings　and　all；　rightthrough　the　window　and　stood　him　on　the　floor。　'Take　you　to　see　Elves；　eh？'　hesaid；　eyeing　Sam　closely；　but　with　a　smile　flickering　on　his　face。　'So　youheard　that　Mr。　Frodo　is　going　away？'　
'I　did；　sir。　And　that's　why　I　choked：　which　you　heard　seemingly。　I　triednot　to；　sir；　but　it　burst　out　of　me：　I　was　so　upset。'　
'It　can't　be　helped；　Sam；'　said　Frodo　sadly。　He　had　suddenly　realizedthat　flying　from　the　Shire　would　mean　more　painful　partings　than　merely　sayingfarewell　to　the　familiar　forts　of　Bag　End。　'I　shall　have　to　go。　But'　–　andhere　he　looked　hard　at　Sam　–　'if　you　really　care　about　me；　you　will　keep　that_dead_　secret。　See？　If　you　don't；　if　you　even　breathe　a　word　of　what　you'veheard　here；　then　I　hope　Gandalf　will　turn　you　into　a　spotted　toad　and　fill　thegarden　full　of　grass…snakes。'　
Sam　fell　on　his　knees；　trembling。　'Get　up；　Sam！'　said　Gandalf。　I　havethought　of　something　better　than　that。　Something　to　shut　your　mouth；　andpunish　you　properly　for　listening。　You　shall　go　away　with　Mr。　Frodo！'　
'Me；　sir！'　cried　Sam；　springing　up　like　a　dog　invited　for　a　walk。　'Me　goand　see　Elves　and　all！　Hooray！'　he　shouted；　and　then　burst　into　tears。　　
Three　is　pany_Chapter　3_　　
'You　ought　to　go　quietly；　and　you　ought　to　go　soon；'　said　Gandalf。　Two　orthree　weeks　had　passed；　and　still　Frodo　made　no　sign　of　getting　ready　to　go。　
'I　know。　But　it　is　difficult　to　do　both；'　he　objected。　If　I　just　vanishlike　Bilbo；　the　tale　will　be　all　over　the　Shire　in　no　time。'　
'Of　course　you　mustn't　vanish！'　said　Gandalf。　'That　wouldn't　do　at　all！　Isaid　_soon；_　not　_instantly。_　If　you　can　think　of　any　way　of　slipping　out　ofthe　Shire　without　its　being　generally　known；　it　will　be　worth　a　little　delay。　
But　you　must　not　delay　too　long。'　
'What　about　the　autumn；　on　or　after　Our　Birthday？'　asked　Frodo。　'I　thinkI　could　probably　make　some　arrangements　by　then。'　
To　tell　the　truth；　he　was　very　reluctant　to　start；　now　that　it　had　eto　the　point。　Bag　End　seemed　a　more　desirable　residence　than　it　had　for　years；　
and　he　wanted　to　savour　as　much　as　he　could　of　his　last　summer　in　the　Shire。　　
When　autumn　came；　he　knew　that　part　at　least　of　his　heart　would　think　morekindly　of　journeying；　as　it　always　did　at　that　season。　He　had　indeed　privatelymade　up　his　mind　to　leave　on　his　fiftieth　birthday：　Bilbo's　one　hundred　andtwenty…eighth。　It　seemed　somehow　the　proper　day　on　which　to　set　out　and　followhim。　Following　Bilbo　was　uppermost　in　his　mind；　and　the　one　thing　that　madethe　thought　of　leaving　bearable。　He　thought　as　little　as　possible　about　the　　
　
Ring；　and　where　it　might　lead　him　in　the　end。　But　he　did　not　tell　all　histhoughts　to　Gandalf。　What　the　wizard　guessed　was　always　difficult　to　tell。　
He　looked　at　Frodo　and　smiled。　'Very　well；'　he　said。　'I　think　that　willdo　–　but　it　must　not　be　any　later。　I　am　getting　very　anxious。　In　the　meanwhile；　　
do　take　care；　and　don't　let　out　any　hint　of　where　you　are　going！　Andsee　that　Sam　Gamgee　does　not　talk。　If　he　does；　I　really　shall　turn　him　into　atoad。'　　
'As　for　_where　I_　am　going；'　said　Frodo；　'it　would　be　difficult　to　givethat　away；　for　I　have　no　clear　idea　myself；　yet。'　
'Don't　be　absurd！'　said　Gandalf。　'I　am　not　warning　you　against　leaving　anaddress　at　the　post…office！　But　you　are　leaving　the　Shire　–　and　that　shouldnot　be　known；　until　you　are　far　away。　And　you　must　go；　or　at　least　set　out；　
either　North；　South；　West　or　East　–　and　the　direction　should　certainly　not　beknown。'　　
'I　have　been　so　taken　up　with　the　thoughts　of　leaving　Bag　End；　and　ofsaying　farewell；　that　I　have　never　even　considered　the　direction；'　said　Frodo。　
'For　where　am　I　to　go？　And　by　what　shall　I　steer？　What　is　to　be　my　quest？　
Bilbo　went　to　find　a　treasure；　there　and　back　again；　but　I　go　to　lose　one；　andnot　return；　as　far　as　I　can　see。'　
'But　you　cannot　see　very　far；'　said　Gandalf。　'Neither　can　I。　It　may　beyour　task　to　find　the　Cracks　of　Doom；　but　that　quest　may　be　for　others：　I　donot　know。　At　any　rate　you　are　not　ready　for　that　long　road　yet。'　
'No　indeed！'　said　Frodo。　'But　in　the　meantime　what　course　am　I　to　lake？'　　
'Towards　danger；　but　not　too　rashly；　nor　too　straight；'　answered　thewizard。　'If　you　want　my　advice；　make　for　Rivendell。　That　journey　should　notprove　too　perilous；　though　the　Road　is　less　easy　than　it　was；　and　it　will　growworse　as　the　year　fails。'　
'Rivendell！'　said　Frodo。　'Very　good：　I　will　go　east；　and　I　will　make　forRivendell。　I　will　take　Sam　to　visit　the　Elves；　he　will　be　delighted。'　He　spokelightly；　but　his　heart　was　moved　suddenly　with　a　desire　to　see　the　house　ofElrond　Halfelven；　and　breathe　the　air　of　that　deep　valley　where　many　of　theFair　Folk　still　dwelt　in　peace。　　
One　summer's　evening　an　astonishing　piece　of　news　reached　the　_Ivy　Bush_　
and　_Green　Dragon。_　Giants　and　other　portents　on　the　borders　of　the　Shire　wereforgotten　for　more　important　matters：　Mr。　Frodo　was　selling　Bag　End；　indeed　hehad　already　sold　it　–　to　the　Sackville…Bagginses！　
'For　a　nice　bit；　loo；'　said　some。　'At　a　bargain　price；'　said　others；　'andthat's　more　likely　when　Mistress　Lobelia's　the　buyer。'　（Otho　had　died　someyears　before；　at　the　ripe　but　disappointed　age　of　102。）　
Just　why　Mr。　Frodo　was　selling　his　beautiful　hole　was　even　more　debatablethan　the　price。　A　few　held　the　theory　–　supported　by　the　nods　and　hints　of　Mr。　
Baggins　himself　–　that　Frodo's　money　was　running　out：　he　was　going　to　leaveHobbiton　and　live　in　a　quiet　way　on　the　proceeds　of　the　sale　down　in　Bucklandamong　his　Brandybuck　relations。　'As　far　from　the　Sackville…Bagginses　as　maybe；'　some　added。　But　so　firmly　fixed　had　the　notion　of　the　immeasurable　wealthof　the　Bagginses　of　Bag　End　bee　that　most　found　this　hard　to　believe；　
harder　than　any　other　reason　or　unreason　that　their　fancy　could　suggest：　tomost　it　suggested　a　dark　and　yet　unrevealed　plot　by　Gandalf。　Though　he　kepthimself　very　quiet　and　did　not　go　about　by　day；　it　was　well　known　that　he　was'hiding　up　in　the　Bag　End'。　But　however　a　removal　might　fit　in　with　thedesigns　of　his　wizardry；　there　was　no　doubt　about　the　fact：　Frodo　Baggins　wasgoing　back　to　Buckland。　
'Yes；　I　shall　be　moving　this　autumn；'　he　said。　'Merry　Brandybuck　islooking　out　for　a　nice　little　hole　for　me；　or　perhaps　a　small　house。'　
As　a　matter　of　fact　with　Merry's　help　he　had　already　chosen　and　bought　alittle　house　at　Crickhollow　in　the　country　beyond　Bucklebury。　To　all　but　Samhe　pretended　he　was　going　to　settle　down　there　permanently。　The　decision　toset　out　eastwards　had　suggested　the　idea　to　him；　for　Buckland　was　on　theeastern　borders　of　the　Shire；　and　as　he　had　lived　there　in　childhood　his　going　　
　
back　would　at　least　seem　credible。　　
Gandalf　stayed　in　the　Shire　for　over　two　months。　Then　one　evening；　at　theend　of　June；　soon　after　Frodo's　plan　had　been　finally　arranged；　he　suddenlyannounced　that　he　was　going　off　again　next　morning。　'Only　for　a　short　while；　Ihope；'　he　said。　'But　I　am　going　down　beyond　the　southern　borders　to　get　somenews；　if　I　can。　I　have　been　idle　longer　than　I　should。'　
He　spoke　lightly；　but　it　seemed　to　Frodo　that　he　looked　rather　worried。　
'Has　anything　happened？'　he　asked。　
'Well　no；　but　I　have　heard　something　that　has　made　me　anxious　and　needslooking　into。　If　I　think　it　necessary　after　all　for　you　to　get　off　at　once；　Ishall　e　back　immediately；　or　at　least　send　word。　In　the　meanwhile　stick　toyour　plan；　but　be　more　careful　than　ever；　especially　of　the　Ring。　Let　meimpress　on　you　once　more：　_don't　use　it！'_　
He　went　off　at　dawn。　'I　may　be　back　any　day；'　he　said。　'At　the　verylatest　I　shall　e　back　for　the　farewell　party。　I　think　after　all　you　mayneed　my　pany　on　the　Road。'　
At　first　Frodo　was　a　good　deal　disturbed；　and　wondered　often　what　Gandalfcould　have　heard；　but　his　uneasiness　wore　off；　and　in　the　fine　weather　heforgot　his　troubles　for　a　while。　The　Shire　had　seldom　seen　so　fair　a　summer；　
or　so　rich　an　autumn：　the　trees　were　laden　with　apples；　honey　was　dripping　inthe　bs；　and　the　corn　was　tall　and　full。　
Autumn　was　well　under　way　before　Frodo　began　to　worry　about　Gandalfagain。　September　was　passing　and　there　was　still　no　news　of　him。　The　Birthday；　
and　the　removal；　drew　nearer；　and　still　he　did　not　e；　or　send　word。　Bag　Endbegan　to　be　busy。　Some　of　Frodo's　friends　came　to　stay　and　help　him　with　thepacking：　there　was　Fredegar　Bolger　and　Folco　Boffin；　and　of　course　his　specialfriends　Pippin　Took　and　Merry　Brandybuck。　Between　them　they　turned　the　wholeplace　upside…down。　
On　September　20th　two　covered　carts　went　off　laden　to　Buckland；　conveyingthe　furniture　and　goods　that　Frodo　had　not　sold　to　his　new　home；　by　way　of　theBrandywine　Bridge。　The　next　day　Frodo　became　really　anxious；　and　kept　aconstant　look…out　for　Gandalf。　Thursday；　his　birthday　morning；　dawned　as　fairand　clear　as　it　had　long　ago　for　Bilbo's　great　party。　Still　Gandalf　did　notappear。　In　the　evening　Frodo　gave　his　farewell　feast：